NCTTA Newsletter
December 2011

Happy holidays from NCTTA! While you might be taking a break, relaxing with family and friends, at NCTTA we're gearing up for the second half of another great college table tennis season. In this month's newsletter we have updates from fall competitions in several divisions, some important eligibility reminders, and a quick survey to help out NCTTA's Paralympic committee.

Read on for all this and more ...

Paralympic Committee Survey
By Abrahm Behnam, Paralympic Committee Chair

We are starting to expand NCTTA’s Paralympic table tennis involvement and need your help.

Please fill out this quick, 2 minute survey to promote awareness, recruit volunteers, and recruit players for the NCTTA’s Paralympic division: Survey Link
(When finished, click “Finish Survey” at the bottom)

Also, please share this with any friends that you know might be interested. Thanks in advance for your help!

For any questions about the survey or NCTTA’s Para Table Tennis efforts, contact Abrahm Behnam, NCTTA Paralympic Chair, paralympic@nctta.org

Spring Eligibility Form Reminder

Let's make things nice and simple. We know there are lots of college table tennis competitions coming up this spring, from NCTTA team competitions, to NCTTA division singles, to the Regional and National Championships.

But you only need 1 eligibility form for all of them. That would be the 2012 Spring Eligibility Form due February 6, 2012.

If your 1st division competition of the semester is held before Feb. 6 you can turn it in to your division director. Otherwise mail it directly to NCTTA (address is on the form).

Don't delay, if you don't submit your eligibility form you won't be able to compete in any of those great spring competitions we mentioned. If you're confused about NCTTA's eligibility rules, see the Eligibility FAQ at the end of this newsletter.

Sponsor Corner
Special thanks to our sponsors, Butterfly and Newgy!

NCTTA, would like to thank Butterfly for its support of college table tennis. Butterfly is the exclusive NCTTA League and Championship Equipment sponsor for the 2011-2012 season. Grab all your favorite Butterfly equipment in the online Butterfly store.

Also, special thanks to NEWGY Industries, for its continued support of college table tennis Newgy offers a great way to fundraise for your club and help out our sponsor as well by signing up and participating in their Newgy Robo Pong Affiliate Program.

Utah Leads Rocky Mountain Division
By Andy Kanengiser, Media Relations Chair

University of Utah football fans can cheer on the Utes when they face Georgia Tech in the Hyundai Sun Bowl in El Paso December 31st. Utah’s table tennis fans also have something to cheer about these days. Their team currently sits atop the Rocky Mountain Division standings after wins over rivals like Utah State and Westminster in the fall division competition.

“All in all, it was a great competition and a really fun day,” says Bruce Majors, the NCTTA Rocky Mountain Division director.

Utah finished 2-0 for the day including a close five-game match versus Utah State. Westminster finished with a 1-1 mark, including a come-from-behind win in doubles over Utah State. Utah State was 0-2, but fought hard all day and lost both matches in five games.

Along with some very competitive varsity matches, three junior varsity collegiate teams also put their paddles to the test in the Rockies. Many of the table tennis players were new to NCTTA action, but quickly showed they belonged.

Columbia Returns to Top of New York City Division
By Andy Kanengiser, Media Relations Chair

Hail, Columbia! That’s what fans of Columbia University are saying after the Lions table tennis team defeated rivals New York University and Baruch in the Big Apple.

As a result, Columbia’s got the bragging rights in the NCTTA’s New York City Division this fall. Columbia dominated the division from 2003 through 2008, but more recently Baruch College had established itself as the team to beat, winning the division the past two seasons.

Led by stellar player, Stephanie Shih, Columbia is now back on top in the ultra-competitive division. Shih helped the Ivy League school’s women’s team to a 3rd place finish at the 2011 National Championships.

“They’re very organized as a team,” says New York City Division Director Felix Filozov.

Give NYU credit for bringing enthusiasm to the matches. “NYU, as usual, had a lot of players huddled up to their games and they cheered loudly to support” their team, he said.

In the Butler Library on the Morningside campus at the corner of 116th Street and Broadway, Columbia students have been busy studying lately to get ready for final exams. But as far as the Columbia table tennis team is concerned, they brought their “A game” to the table at the fall division competition.

Miami Eeks Out Win in Florida Division
By Andy Kanengiser, Media Relations Chair

Florida is well-known for its orange juice, beautiful beaches and hurricanes. And in the NCTTA’s Florida Division, the University of Miami Hurricanes turned on the juices to narrowly win this fall’s division competition.

The division in the Sunshine State is definitely loaded with talented teams who always bring their best to the table. So when Miami, Central Florida and South Florida tangled on December 4, the event was so close that it went to doubles to decide the outcome. The Florida fall tourney was decided by games, and, you might say that Miami squeaked by. But a win is a win and the Hurricanes are the victors this fall.

The Sunday action in early December really impressed Florida Division Director Michael McFarland along with the fans. Miami’s close win that day over two strong in-state teams “is a true testament on why ever game counts and every point counts,” McFarland says. “It can be the difference between your team being the winner and moving on or just going home.”

Now that the trio of Florida schools have sized each other up, McFarland says he can’t wait for the next NCTTA showdown in Florida in the spring of 2012.

What’s at stake? “The winner gets the bragging rights to represent the Florida Division in the 2012 NCTTA championship in Texas,” McFarland says.

That’s good stuff from the NCTTA’s Florida division chief. Miami is the king of the hill at the moment, but Central Florida and USF will do their best to derail the region’s No. 1 Hurricanes in the new year!

Princeton’s Prowess Continues in New Jersey Shore Division
By Andy Kanengiser, Media Relations Chair

The hit MTV show “Jersey Shore” returns for a fifth season featuring the adventures of Nicole "Snooki’’ Polizzi and company. Marking its return January 5, the zany show is all the talk for fans in Seaside Heights, New Jersey and for millions of viewers around the USA.

That being said, the Princeton University table tennis team is all the talk in the NCTTA’s Jersey Shore Division. The Princeton Tigers’ coed team recently went undefeated in the NCTTA’s new division, with the fall competition played at the Lily Yip Table Tennis Center.

Princeton showed incredible skills with paddles in hand and why it is an elite squad in college table tennis this season. After six straight division titles in the Mid-Atlantic Division, the change to the newly formed Jersey Shore Division did little to slow Princeton’s college table tennis success. It’s fair to say that Princeton dominated the competition, cruising past opponents without dropping a single match. Other schools competing included New Jersey schools like Rutgers, NJIT, Drew, and Rider. The Lafayette College Leopards traveled from their campus just across the Jersey border in Easton, Pennsylvania.

The Rutgers women’s team finished on top by defeating Drew University. Like Princeton, the Scarlet Knights came to play, too.

Mississippi College Players Win Who’s Who Honors
By Andy Kanengiser, Media Relations Chair

Two Mississippi College table tennis players were among 71 outstanding undergraduates on the Clinton campus joining one of the nation’s most prestigious honors organizations.

On December 1, accounting major Zhicheng “Johnson” Liang of Yangjiang City, China and Christian Studies major Ben VanHorn of Clinton, Miss. were named to the Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges & Universities in 2011-2012.

“This is quite a select group of students,” said Jim Turcotte, MC’s vice president for enrollment management and student affairs. “You should be quite proud to be in this group.”

Founded in 1934, the Who’s Who organization is one of the most highly regarded and longstanding in the nation. MC President Lee Royce, and other school leaders joined parents at a luncheon to celebrate the students induction into Who’s Who. Supplying an inspirational message was guest speaker Jerry Rankin, president emeritus of the Southern Baptist Convention’s International Mission Board.

Read more ...

Eligibility FAQ

Got questions about NCTTA eligibility rules? Here are answers to a few frequently asked questions.

1. Question: I have played and used up all of my eligibility for NCTTA (4 years) or (5 years if one started school before 2007). Since NCTTA is rolling out a new singles event this year, can I play in that?

Answer: No, unfortunately NCTTA eligibility covers all events. For each year you played on an official school team in division competition you used one year of eligibility.

2. Question: I played in ACUI Regionals for the past 4 years, but never made it to the ACUI National Singles and just this year started playing NCTTA, do I still have NCTTA eligibility?

Answer: Yes, NCTTA only counts ACUI National Singles towards your NCTTA eligibility.

3. Question: My coed team put me on our Spring 2012 Eligibility Form, and although I played in Fall 2011, due to other obligations I won’t be able to play in the Spring until the Championships. Am I still be able to compete at the Championships?

Answer: Yes, as long as you played in one division match for your coed varsity team during the regular season, you are eligible to compete in post-season competition, including the Championships.

4. Question: I competed for my team and in the singles competition at the Division level, but couldn’t make it to the Regional team or singles competition. If I was included on my school's Spring Eligibility Form, can I still compete in the team and singles competition at the Championships?

Answer: In singles, no, the only way to qualify for the Championships in singles is by competing at the Regional competition. In the team competition, yes, you can compete provided your team qualified for the Championships.

5. Question: I wasn't included on the Spring Eligibility Form my team submitted by the Feb. 6 deadline. Can my team submit an another form with additional names later, if we qualify for the Regional or National Championships?

Answer: No, all players that wish to compete for your school at any point in the spring (whether in the regular season or post season) MUST be included on the Spring Eligibility Form, which must be submitted by the Feb. 6 deadline.

If you have further questions about eligibility not covered above, please email us at: info@nctta.org

Got an idea for a future story or newsletter topic? Email the NCTTA Media Relations Chair.